2012 DEADLINE: WEEKEND ROUNDUP

No huge moves took place over the weekend. Lots of talk involving big names as the July 31st Non-Waiver Trade Deadline approached, but the biggest names to move were LHP Francisco Liriano and INF Marco Scutaro.

WHITE SOX GET LIRIANO – Chicago landed a left-handed arm in Liriano in exchange for two youngsters, INF Eduardo Escobar and LHP Pedro Hernandez. Liriano has thrown 100 innings this season with a 3-10 record, a 1.44 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 agains 5.0 BB/9. He stays in-division and goes from the fourth-place Twins to the first-place White Sox. Chicago is in a dogfight with Detroit and RHP Chris Sale, who has been an ace this season, is showing signs of wear from his increased workload.

SCUTARO TO GIANTS – The San Franciso Giants passed the Dodgers in the standings last month as LA saw their lineup depleted by injuries to OF Matt Kemp, 2B Mark Ellis and OF Andre Ethier. An impressive three-game, three-shutout sweep at AT & T Park at the end of June pulled the Giants even atop the NL west. Since then, the Dodgers have gotten healthy and have also pulled off a deal for INF Hanley Ramirez, while the Giants’ bats have slowed down and INF Pablo Sandoval has gotten hurt again. The Giants added Scutaro to their infiled mix in exchange for INF Charlie Culberson. It does address a need for the Giants but not in the way that the Ramirez acquisition made the Dodgers better. Callers to the Giants’ post-game show after Saturday’s loss to the Dodgers were irate and demanding a big move for an impact bat and/or an impact pitcher. The Giants may not have enough to exchange for either.

A’S ACQUIRE C KOTTARAS – The surprising Oakland A’s are buyers at this year’s deadline. They picked up C George Kottaras from Milwaukee on Sunday for reliever Fautino De Los Santos. The left-handed hitting Kottaras was batting .203 with three homers before he was DFA’d by the Brewers on Thursday.

DIAMONDBACKS DEAL FOR 3B JOHNSON – Arizona continues to tweak its roster while staying close in the NL west, now 4 1/2 games behind the Giants and Dodgers. After dealing Ryan Roberts to Tampa Bay last week, the Diamondbacks acquired Chris Johnson from the Astros for minor leaguers INF Bobby Borchering and OF Marc Krauss. Johnson had 8 HR and 41 RBI in 92 games for the Astros this year.